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Transgender 101 By definition, transgender individuals must piece What does gender mean, anyway? together a self-identity that is different or in opposition to what everyone tells them they are. Although the Examining gender may seem either overt and rise of the internet and growing public visibility of obvious or confusing and complicated. Four key transgender people and issues are making it easier for concepts help clarify what is meant when referring individuals to tap into preexisting identity models and to “gender.” resources, the transgender experience is still largely an isolated, individual one. Gender Identity: An individual’s inner sense of their This might be the primary reason why the own gender, of being male, female, something in nomenclature for the trans experience is both between, or any other gender. unsettled and, among trans people themselves, very hotly contested.1 There are literally hundreds of words Gender Expression: How a person expresses their used to describe a trans identity or experience. gender through clothing and accessories, grooming, Therefore, the definitions offered here, like all trans speech, body language, social interactions and definitions, should be used gingerly and in a way that other behaviors. makes it possible for each trans individual hirself2 to use the term(s) sie considers most reflective of hir self- Gender Perception: How a person’s gender is concept and experience. perceived by others. External perceptions of an individual’s gender may or may not be in alignment The Terms Paradox with that person’s gender identity or intended One absolutely essential concept to be mindful of is gender expression, thus there may not be a what FORGE3 has coined as the Terms Paradox. consensus from outside observers about what Quite simply: gender an individual might be. Terms are crucial: Finding out what terms a person Gender and Sexual Orientation: In the United uses and then using their language is a primary way of States, there is widespread confusion between conveying respect and openness. gender identity and sexual orientation. Therefore, it is important to explicitly state that gender identity Terms are meaningless: Terms tell you none of what (whether a person sees himself or herself as male you need to know to provide appropriate services or or female or some other gender) and sexual have respectful, meaningful interactions. orientation [whether a person is generally physically and/or emotionally attracted to someone of their Two Broad Definition Categories same gender (gay, lesbian), someone of their “opposite” gender (heterosexual), both genders Due to the lack of consensus and the expansiveness (bisexual), or no genders (asexual)] are two of identity terms, only two broad categories will be separate characteristics.4 Thus, trans people can be defined in this document: of any sexual orientation, and any given sexual orientation can include multiple genders. Transgender or Trans: An umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of people whose gender NOTE: Every person has a gender, gender identity, identity or expression may not match the sex they gender expression and gender perception – not just were assigned at birth, including (but not limited to): transgender people. Commonly, most cisgender MTS, FTMs, genderqueers, transsexuals, cross- (people who are not-transgender) Americans, think dressers, intersexed individuals, androgynes, butches, very little about their gender, typically taking it for bigendered persons, femmes, SOFFAs (Significant granted. Others, Friends, Family and Allies) and others. SOFFA: Significant Others, Friends, Family, and Allies. Everyone has a SOFFA circle; in this context, SOFFA refers to individuals who have a personal connection with a person whose gender identity or expression transcends societal norms. [The ratio of PO Box 1272, Milwaukee, WI 53201 trans people to SOFFAs is approximately 1:30.] 414.559.2123 | [email protected] www.forge-forward.org Transgender 101 Key concepts . The number of transgender people in this country is extremely large because “trans” can include everyone who bends gender and those brave enough to associate with them. Our culture places great value in maintaining a gender binary, where people are supposed to fit in either one of only 2 gender boxes. Gender is not 2-sizes fit all, but rather a fluid constellation of multiple identities, experiences, expressions, desires, and expectations that form a construct. Individuals may use (or not use) many techniques to bring out their gender (identity) and/or make their internal state match their external reality, including: hormones, clothing, name change, mannerisms, surgery, hairstyle, or many other possibilities. Transgender people can be gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight or asexual. Partners of trans people can be gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight or asexual. Many couples with a trans person have “mixed orientation” relationships where the couple holds seemingly “opposite” identities such as lesbian and heterosexual. A Small Sample of Trans and SOFFA Identity Terms admirer either girl merm post-op transexual agender enaree girlfag mesbian pre-op transfag ally epicene goy metamorph prettyboy transfagdrag ambigender FTM grrl mixed-gendered queen transfaghag ambiguous FTX gurl mohabbazin queer transfeminine androgyne faerie guy monogender questioning transgender androgynous fairy guydyke mukhannathun salmacian transgenderist anomalous female gynandroid multigender scrat transgirl asexual female-assigned gyrl mutarajjulat sekrata transguy bent female-bodied herm nadle self-defined transhag berdache feminine hermaphrodite neither sererr transman bigender feminist hermaphrodyke neuter neutral shaman transmasculine bioboy femme heterosexual neutrois shapeshifter transperson biogirl fluid hijra new man shemale transsensual boi fourth gender homoemotional new woman single-gender transsexual both freak homovestite ninauposkitzipsp sir transvestite boy galla human no-gender sissy transwoman boychick gender bender intergender no-op sister trisexual boydyke gender defender intersex none of the soft butch twin-spirit brother gender gifted khal above static gendered two-spirit bull dyke gender lady none of your stone butch undecided burl normative MTF business stone femme undeclared butch gender outlaw MTFTM nongender switch third undefined butchdyke gender refusenik MTM omnigender gender unspecified crossdresser gender MTX omnisexual tomboy walyeh diesel dyke transcender mahu other tomgirl woman drag hag gender variant male other-gendered tranny womyn drag king genderbent male-assigned pangender trannyboy XO drag prince gendered male-bodied pansexual trannychaser XTF drag princess genderfuck man pansy trannygirl XTM drag queen genderqueer man-chick person trans Xanith dyke genderstraight masculine plumber femme transboy effeminate gink me polysexual transdyke End Notes 1. In a survey conducted by the Loree Cook-Daniels and Michael Munson, participants were offered13 transgender identity terms from which survey respondents could choose. 15% of respondents objected so strongly to being “boxed in” to only 13 categories that they wrote in (often angry) comments of complaint. Over 17 additional gender identities were suggested by respondents. For some of the results of that survey, see http://www.forge- forward.org/newsletters/v07i01/ surveyresults.htm. 2. “Hir” and “sie” belong to one of several gender-neutral pronoun systems; they encompass not only males and females, but also individuals who claim a gender identity outside or beyond “male” and “female.” 3. FORGE is a national organization, founded in 1994, serving transgender individuals and SOFFAs. FORGE houses the Transgender Aging Network. 4. Note that the term “bisexual” presumes two genders. For that reason, many trans individuals and SOFFAs are creating or adopting terms such as omnisexual, pansexual, homoflexible, heteroqueer, and transsensual to express the belief that there are more than two possible genders to which someone could be attracted. PO Box 1272, Milwaukee, WI 53201 | [email protected] | www.forge-forward.org .
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